A ceremony was held at Thanh Thuy border gate on April 16 to announce the decision.

The zone which covers seven communes, borders Wenshan , Yunnan province, to the north, with a 26 km-long border.

The 28,781 ha economic zone is a combination of such sectors as trade, service, industry and agroforestry. It will act as an international trade gateway and a bridge linking China ’s Yunnan province and north Vietnam as well as ASEAN countries and northeast Asia .

The Government said Thanh Thuy border economic zone will become one of the economic and cultural centres of Ha Giang and will offer a chance for the province to rise out of poverty and integrate into the national and regional economies.